Educators to be honored

Two Perham educators will be honored April 26, at the annual Perham Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership and Hall of Fame Awards Night.

Administrator Fred Sailer and music educator Kevin Kosiak will be the honored guests for the event, at Thumper Pond, Ottertail.

Social hour is 6 p.m., prime rib dinner, 6:30 p.m., and awards presentations at 7:30 p.m.

Sailer will be presented with the leadership award. Kosiak will be named to the Perham Hall of Fame.

Kevin Kosiak: Award-winning music credentials

Kevin Kosiak is the choir director and guitar instructor at Prairie Wind Middle School and Perham High School in Perham, Minnesota.

Prior to coming to Perham in 1992, Kosiak held teaching positions in Mountain Lake, Minnesota and Springfield, Minnesota. Kevin is a 1984 graduate of the University of North Dakota where he received a bachelor's of music degree with a concentration in choral music. Kevin is currently working on his master's degree in music education from the University of St. Thomas.

Kevin's musical theater directing credits with the Perham Community Musicals include: Oklahoma, Sound of Music, Wizard of Oz, Anything Goes, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Hello Dolly, Man of LaMancha, and Beauty and the Beast.

Choirs under Kosiak's leadership have received numerous awards and honors:

--- Superior ratings at sub-section music contests each year since 1984. This year receiving perfect scores from all three judges.

--- Two performances at the MMEA Mid-winter clinic, in 1990 with the Springfield High School Choir, and in 2001 with the Prairie Wind Middle School 8th grade choir.

--- 1st place trophy at the All American Music Festival in St. Louis, Missouri in 1986.

--- 2nd place trophy at the All American Music Festival in Orlando, Florida in 1990.

--- A superior rating at the Bahamas Cruise Festival in 2001.

--- The honor choir at the NDSU Choral Festival in 2003.

--- Performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City in January of 2006.

The military has also been an important part of Kosiak's life. From 1976-1980 he was on active duty with the United States Air Force, stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base. Since leaving active duty he has been a part of both the Minnesota and North Dakota Army National Guard.

Since November of 2003, Kevin has been with the 188th Army Band in Fargo ND where he plays the trombone, guitar, and bass guitar. Kevin recently returned from a 3 week tour of Germany with the 188th in July of 2006.

Fred Sailer: Perham grad continues to serve his alma mater

Fred Sailer graduated from Perham High School in 1973, Fergus Falls Community College in 1975 and Bemidji Sate University in 1977.

He worked as Assistant Director of the Fergus Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and part time instructor and assistant football coach at Fergus Falls Community College for two years before returning to Perham in 1979.

While employed by the Perham-Dent School District he served as the community education director and was named the Minnesota Community Education Director of the Year in 1994. From 1989-1995 he served as the District's Representative during the construction of Heart of the Lakes Elementary, Prairie Wind Middle School and the remodel of Dent Elementary and Perham High School.

While coaching at PHS he served as head coach of the baseball program when the Yellowjackets finished 3rd in the 1984 State Tournament; his 1989 football team finished as state runner-up in 1989.

He has been the Activities Director at Perham for the past 11 years and also serves as the Director of the Perham Area Learning Center.

Fred is currently the 1st Vice President of the Minnesota Athletic Administrators Association and will serve as the organization's President during 2008-09.

Under Fred's leadership the facilities and activities at Perham schools are second to none. Fred has also directed Jacket activities to be one of the best all around programs in the state.

In the Minnesota State Activities Class A Challenge Cup the Jackets finished 4th in 2003-04, 2nd in 04-05, 3rd in 05-06 and presently stand #1 in the state for 06-07.

Fred and his wife Sue have two children; Carolyn (25) who is a construction manager for Mortenson Construction based out of Minneapolis and Mark (21) who is a Junior at Bemidji Sate and majoring in Industrial Technology. Sue is employed by Perham Memorial Hospital and Home as a medical social worker.